If Virginia Haugen is convicted of obstruction charges, will she lose her seat on the Auburn City Council? The Auburn Reporter’s Feb. 13 edition states that Haugen admitted lying to investigators after several denials of involvement in trespassing onto Burlington Northern Railroad property to put up an illegal sign.

If this admission is true, why is Haugen still on the City Council? Don’t Auburn citizens deserve better leadership during these difficult times? How can we trust a liar to make tough decisions that benefit our city’s future? What makes Haugen think she can repeatedly lie to police, then recant under the excuse of protecting those who actually committed the trespass?

This behavior is what I call “podunk politics” and harkens back to the days when South King County was a sleepy backwater supported by a strong economy. Local leaders did not have to tackle the complex issues that confront our region today. Those days are over. We need leaders with vision, intellect and integrity. We do not need self-important liars.

– Mark Baker